Salmonella, EHEC and noroviruses, campylobacter or listeria – there are numerous bacteria, viruses and parasites that can be transmitted to humans via food and can cause foodborne infections. Many of these quite unpleasant and sometimes life-threatening infections start at home in the kitchen – caused by improper handling of food, such as unsuitable storage or incorrect preparation. “Many people are not even aware that a lack of kitchen hygiene can be a real health risk, as our surveys show time and again,” says Professor Andreas Hensel, President of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). “That is why we have chosen this topic as the focus of our stand at the Grüne Woche (in English: Green Week). We want to show our guests how this risk can be significantly minimised by taking simple measures.” This year's Grüne Woche takes place from 17 to 26 January and the BfR stand (No. 307) can be found in Hall 3.2 “Event Farm”.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), over 200 different diseases are caused by the consumption of contaminated food. In Germany alone, around 100,000 illnesses are reported every year that may have been caused by the presence of bacteria, viruses or parasites in food. The actual number of illnesses is likely to be much higher because not all illnesses are recorded or reported by doctors. Foodborne infections can be severe for older people with a weakened immune system. However, children are also among the particularly sensitive groups of people, as their immune system is not yet fully developed.
At this year's Grüne Woche, the international trade fair for the agricultural and food industry, the BfR is inviting children to playfully explore the world of food germs. The exhibition stand picks up on the content and design of the recently published, first ever BfR children's book (“Luis' und Mayas Abenteuer im Schrumpflabor”, available in German only). In the “error refrigerator”, visitors can try out how to store food the right way. They will also be able to shrink themselves to the size of bacteria in the “shrinkomat”, souvenir photo included. A germ gallery provides exciting information on various food germs, and visitors can test their knowledge on the quiz wheel. Once again this year, TV chef Tino Schmidt will be present to prepare tasty snacks and to present the correct way to handle food in the home kitchen together with BfR scientists.
Information on the BfR at the Grüne Woche:
The BfR stand is located in Hall 3.2 “Event Farm”, No. 307.
The Grüne Woche will take place from 17 January to 26 January 2024 in Berlin.
https://www.bfr-akademie.de/english/events/igw2025.html
About the BfR
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) in Germany. The BfR advises the Federal Government and the States (‘Laender’) on questions of food, chemicals and product safety. The BfR conducts independent research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks.